Eyes In The Brine
by AriMarvelUniverse
Summary: Kaldur/OC, AU. In the fairy tales Wyllow grew up on, Merfolk were vicious, predatory, and prone to dragging young maidens to their watery deaths. When she sees the silver green eyes beneath the waves, she learns that the stories were absolutely true- but not in the way she expected. Three chapters, smut at the end.
1. Prologue

**(A/N: I've recently gotten back into YJ, and I've realized that I'm COMPLETELY IN LOVE with Kaldur. This idea hit me after watching Pirates of the Carribean, and I just had to do it. It's Kaldur/OC, with a Merman-ish sailor thing. He's a bit different than in the series too.**

**Three chapters in all, this one's a prologue, next ones a flashback and the third is a smut scene. This OC was originally from my fic Meteor Shower, Robin's villainous twin sister, in case you were wondering.)**

**«»«»«»«»**

She'd been out here for hours, and nothing had happened.

Wyllow Grayson drew her cloak tighter around her thin shoulders and suppressed a shiver, despite the thick, warm Carribean weather, staring out over the bow of the ship into inky shadows. There was no denying that the view was beautiful- the stars were sprinkled heavily in the midnight velvet sky, mirror images twinkling in the warm dark waters like drowned fireflies.

But she wasn't here for the view.

A slight splash made her heart rate quicken, and her eyes shot to the water, but there was nothing but the slap of the current against the glossy wood. Nothing, just like the five times before. The light from the lantern she'd lit outlined her head in a yellow, halo-like glow, but everything else was pitch dark.

It was late, VERY late, yet she was far from tired.

The sails creaked and swayed above her, still and flat in the night air. She glanced behind her, at the still closed door that led inside. She strained her ears for noise-nothing- and relaxed slightly. She didn't want her brothers or caretaker to follow her and find her up here, looking for her "imaginary" mermaid. She'd never hear the damn end of it, especially from Richard and Jason. Timmy would be less of an ass, but even he had looked at her strangely when she told them she saw a fish person peering at her from under water. They laughed at her, passing her off as a foolish, daydreaming little girl like they always did, but she KNEW what she'd seen.

Her cheeks reddened in anger, but the wind picked up just then. It curled over her face like a caress, strangely sensual. It tousled her long black hair, bringing with it the scent of rain and seawater. This time, she couldn't help a small shudder, and her mind drifted back hours earlier, when this madness first started.


	2. Johnny Sailor Bold

**(A/N: The song in this chapter is Johnny Sailor Bold, from Disney's POTC. I don't own it, I just like it.**

**REVIEW! Or the mermaids will get you!)**

**_{Flashback}_**

_Wyllow closed her eyes and inhaled as deeply as her lungs would allow, taking the time to savor each second of breath as it passed through her nose and down her throat. The smell of the sea was like nothing she'd ever experienced, and she was quickly becoming addicted. There was salt, and something fresh and sharp, but also sweet, warmed by the beaming sun above. It made her blood tingle in her veins. It made her feel alive._

_The hem of her sky blue dress flapped around her ankles as she leaned over the side of the ship, the top half of her body teetering dangerously over the water._

_"Mmm..."_

_"Wyllow!"_

_The shout was unexpected. She wobbled a bit, nearly falling from the railing. She kicked her feet to regain her balance, but her waist was caught in a strong grip and she was firmly placed back on the deck. She turned around, slightly bristling with irritation. "I would have been fine."_

_The oldest of her three brothers, Jason, pretended to frown at her, but she could see the amusement shining in his pale blue grey eyes, identical to hers. "The last thing I knew, you couldn't even swim. How could you have been fine if you'd fallen overboard?"_

_She dropped her hands on her hips and opened her mouth to reply, but another voice cut her off. "I'll bet the sharks would have loved having your pretty butt down for dinner." The middle child, Richard, her twin, appeared from seemingly nowhere like he always did, cackling at her embarrassment. _

_Wyllow blushed and pouted. "I couldn't help it- it's just so delicious."_

_"What is?"_

_"How the sea smells," she sighed, turning back to the rolling waters. "Much better than the Thames."_

_Richard shrugged and ran a hand backwards through his hair. They all couldn't have been anything but related, what with matching ebony tresses and light colored irises. "I suppose. I can't wait until we reach America though- there's no room to move around on this thing."_

_Their father Bruce Wayne, a highly successful merchant, had been conducting business in the new world for the better part of the year. When his visit was extended he'd sent for his family overseas in London, and spared no expense. The ship was huge, freshly repaired, flying their family crest proudly as they sailed through the Carribean crossing._

_"I do want to see Wallace again,__" he continued, referring to the redheaded friend he'd made on their last visit. Wyllow liked Wallace well enough, she supposed, even if he did have a bad habit of making passes at her minute after minute. He and her brother were a perfect match- immature, wild, and mischievous.__"I'm sure Wallace can't wait to see you either, Midge," Richard snickered. "You like him, don't you?"_

_"I guess." Wyllow shrugged, and traced the slick railing with her fingertips. Richard smirked. "You better do more than guess, with what father has planned-"_

_"Dick," Jason snapped, glaring at him. "Not like that. We swore."_

_Wyllow's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. She glanced at them, but neither would meet her eye. "What?"_

_"Nothing." Jason said, flashing her an easy smile that she instantly distrusted. She was still suspicious, but she let the issue drop. They feel into silence for a moment, watching the waves roll and crash._

_Jason grunted to himself, his face a storm cloud, and Wyllow felt her heart twist in sadness and foreboding knowing he was thinking about what would happen when they landed. He had a historically rough and tremulous relationship with their father, to say the least. This trip would be painful and awkward for him, and there was nothing she could do about it._

_"I can't believe I had to share a cabin with Timmy. He's been seasick since we left." Jason mumbled finally. "He won't stop whining. Or upchucking, for that matter." Wyllow smiled sympathetically. Their youngest brother Timothy had always been a bit delicate._

_Wyllow cooed and patted his arm. "Aw. Poor little babies. Maybe Timmy should come up here. It might do him some good."_

_Jason eyed her. "Maybe you'd better not let Dinah catch you trying to kill yourself again, or she'll do it for you."_

_"I wasn't trying to-!"_

_"Who said my name, you little muck rats?" They all spun around as their tutor and caretaker Dinah Lance ascended the stairs from the lower cabins with a stern scowl set in her fair features. She was a beautiful woman in her early thirties, blonde with a striking figure and a no nonsense attitude. Which was good, because all Jason and Richard had to offer was nonsense._

_Her husband Oliver was the groundskeeper at their London estate, but he taught them archery on the side, and she'd shown Wyllow how to defend herself in the streets._

_"Nothing, Miss Dinah." they all chorused. The woman fixed them with a steely eye and crossed her arms. She'd been like a mother to the siblings ever since they'd lost their real mother, Bruce's wife._

_ Wyllow shot a glance at Richard, and didn't miss the shit eating grin on his face. "Wyllow was just trying to swim with the mermaids, Miss Dinah."_

_"No I wasn't!" Wyllow protested hotly. Jason and Richard laughed at her expense, and Jason wiggled his fingers in her face. "Ooh, Midge. You know the stories- mermaids are nasty, murderous things. They'll drag you down and drown you and pick the flesh from your bones!"_

_Wyllow swatted his hand away angrily, and Dinah cut in. "Alright, alright, enough. You could have been studying rather than up here being fools, or taking care of your brother. The sun is going down- it's time to come in."_

_"We know, Miss Dinah."_

_"Sorry, Miss Dinah."_

_"Five more minutes, please?" Wyllow pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her chest. She wanted to watch the sun set, and get one last whiff of the sea before going below. Dinah sucked her teeth and sighed, then waved her hand. "Fine, fine. Five minutes." Wyllow nodded quickly and gave her a beaming smile. "Thank you, Miss."_

_"Come along, boys. Timothy needs some cheering up."_

_"Goodnight, Wyllow. Watch out for tidal waves!"_

_"Watch out for pirates!"_

_"Watch out for mermaids!"_

_"Shut up!" She swooped up a sponge by her feet and chucked it at their heads and they danced away, guffawing._

_After they left, it was quiet again, with the only sounds being the slap of the water against the hull and the sea birds shrieking overhead. Wyllow propped her elbow on the rail and gazed out at the sea, peaceful and content. The sun was setting and the wind was picking up, tossing her hair around her shoulders. _

_It was so beautiful out here...if she could stay like this for the rest of her life, she'd be happy. Land was fine, but this...this had no equal. Even confined to the boat, she felt free. _

_She sighed and put her chin on her hands, shuttering her lashes and staring down into water. The sun was turning them indigo, and they were so clear, she thought she could see all the way to the bottom. _

_She started humming, gently at first, then more strongly as she went. She didn't know why, but she did, and once she started she couldn't stop and didn't want to. _

_*"~Upon one summer's morning, I carelessly did stray, _  
><em>Down by the Walls of Wapping, where I met a sailor gay~..."<em>

_The words were soft, barely audible to her own ears._

_"~Conversing with a young lass, w__ho seem'd to be in pain...saying__, 'William, when you go, I__ fear you'll ne'er return again...'~"_

_What was Richard talking about? What had their father planned?_

_"~My heart is pierced by Cupid...__I disdain all glittering gold...~"_

_A flicker of motion in the water caught her eye, and caused her song to falter slightly. Still singing, she squinted and peered closer, thinking maybe it was a turtle._

_"~There is nothing can console me... but my Johnny...s-sailor-..."_

_It wasn't a turtle. _

_The shock made her voice go dead in her throat, and her limbs began to shake from absolute disbelief._

_There was a PERSON looking back at her from under the crystal surface, but it was no ordinary person. He was a young man, probably slightly older than her. The first thing she saw was his eyes, silver and gleaming like coins. Even underwater, she could see that his skin was dark, with perfectly horizontal lines running down the sides of his neck. _

_He was handsome, too... Handsome in a way that made the most handsome boy in town look like a dirty tramp. The sight of him made Wyllow's cheeks blaze with heat as an unexpected surge of desire raced through her veins. She pressed her thighs together beneath her skirts and shivered, heart pounding._

_He smiled, showing sharp white teeth, and mouthed something to her. She couldn't hear it, but the movement created bubbles that rose slowly to the surface. When they broke, and popped, she could swear she heard a voice in her mind, deep and slow that made her knees weak._

**_'Come... '_**

_Her head swam, and her lashes fluttered, seconds away from closing. Her lips parted, and she leaned over the rail as if in a trance._

**'_Woman...'_**

_Her flesh burned like the sun, but the water looked so cool, so inviting... Her lungs ached like she was breathing through a pillow, and her fingers itched. She yearned for him, wanted to be with him-_

_It was the seagull that saved her and broke her out of the spell, swooping down suddenly near her head and cawing loudly. Wyllow jerked, eyes flying open with a gasp._

_Her entire upper body was leaning over the water, and get legs were in the process of trying to mount the rail and send her plummeting into the sea. She scrambled back, near hyperventilating, clutching her chest._

_The figure in the water was still there, but his smile had been replaced by a scowl. When their eyes met, he gave her another small smirk, and by this time, she'd regained her voice._

_J-Jason! JASON! "_

_Before the second syllable was out, he was gone._


End file.
